Illinois Hospital Lawsuits

Patient Safety Information About Illinois Hospitals

As the world leader in medical training and technology, you would think that medical errors in U.S. hospitals would be a rarity. Unfortunately, despite advancements in technology and medical facilities seemingly always “re-dedicating” themselves to improving patient care, medical errors remain a substantial threat to hospital patients.

Medical errors during hospitalizations, referred to as adverse medical events, still impact an staggering 1 out of 6 patients in every hospital according to facts gathered from the Institute of Medicine.

Medical Errors Are a Risk Facing Every Patient in a Hospital

In terms of actual lives cut short due to medical error, researchers attribute medical negligence for the deaths of an estimated 100,000 patients every year– at hospitals alone. This makes medical errors the 8th leading cause of death, an unacceptable statistic since they could have been prevented. If you add in another 100,000 deaths due to adverse reactions to medications that are prescribed, medical errors jump to the 3rd leading cause of death, right after heart disease

While the field of medicine is indeed full of complexities, many episodes of medical errors at hospitals stem from errors in basic care including:

Staff failing to adhere to a physician’s orders

Medication / anesthesia errors

Dirty conditions

Communication error

Surgical mistakes

Overall inattention to patients

When a patient is significantly harmed or killed during an hospitalization, the situation gives rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit. Despite the fact that these cases are vigorously defended, victims of medical negligence deserve to be fully compensated for the loss.

Grievous Medical Complications– That Should Not Occur

Hospitals are run and staffed by human beings and there will be mistakes that occur. However, according to consumerreports.org, there are some complications that should never happen in a hospital.

Bed or pressure sores

Collapsed lung

Catheter related infections

Post-operative falls and fractures

Blood clots after surgery

Post-operative sepsis

These types of medical complications should be easily preventable by trained, attentive medical staff. If you or a loved one has suffered any of the following complications during a hospital stay, it is possible that you are a victim of medical negligence.

As long-time medical malpractice lawyers in Chicago, we understand that medical negligence can occur at any time– even at the most respected facilities. As part of our law offices’ commitment to patient safety in Illinois, we have collected data on Illinois hospitals to help clearly identify medical errors.